Obituaries for Monday, Oct. 9, 2006

Published 8:08 pm Sunday, October 8, 2006

Tifton

Robert Jay Deason

Robert Jay Deason, 27, of Tifton, died Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006, at Tift Regional Medical Center.

Funeral services will be held at 4 p.m. today in the First Baptist Chrch, Tifton, with Dr. W. Wayne Roe officiating. Burial will follow in Oakridge Cemetery.

Born on Nov. 7, 1978, in Tifton, Mr. Deason was a member of First Baptist Church, Tifton. He was an employee of Longhorn Steak House. Mr. Deason, a 1997 graduate of Tift County High School, attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, studying to be a teacher. At Valdosta State University, he was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. He was a certified scuba diver, a dedicated Auburn University fan, and enjoyed golf, hunting, fishing and playing paintball. Mr. Deason loved his family and friends.

Mr. Deason was preceded in death by his grandparents, Jay and Christine Flowers, Peggy Deason, Peggy Frampton and Ferd and Grace Lewis.

Survivors include his parents, Beth and Joe Lewis of Tifton and Orrin and Luann F. Deason of Brookfield; brothers and sisters-in-law, Nate and Jessica Branch of Moultrie and Alan and Cindy Lewis of Tifton; sisters and brother-in-law, Joan and Walt DeLoach of Ellaville and Blair Branch of Atlanta; grandparents, Nell and Loran Riggins of Valdosta, Robert Jay Deason of Mt. Pleasant, Texas, and Ben and Barbara Frampton of Valdosta; great-grandmother, Inez Deason of Dadeville, Ala.; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made to the Tift County Child Abuse Council. — Albritton-Beaumont Funeral Directors.



Valdosta

Irma Jean Knowles Steward

Irma Jean Knowles Steward, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and friend, passed from this life on Oct. 7, 2006, at the Presbyterian Home in Quitman.

Her children loved her dearly just as she loved them. She was a wonderful and attentive mother to her three children, Patti, Maureen, and Spud. Her grandchildren adored her. Her husband, Morris, doted on her and she on him. She made everyone she met feel special and loved. She was warm-hearted and dear to many people.

In her life, she served in numerable philanthropic organizations and held positions of leadership in many. She had been a Girl Scout leader, and a member of the Jaycees/Jaycettes of Valdosta, Order of Eastern Star, St. Andrews Society of Valdosta, the Lowndes County Republican Committee, and the Holly Garden Club of Valdosta. She had served as local president of the Valdosta Elks Aidmore Auxiliary and state president of the Georgia Elks Aidmore Auxiliary.

She was born February 10, 1933 in Adel to Leonard N. Knowles and Ellyce Irma Purvis Knowles. She enjoyed piano lessons and “Expression” lessons. She played basketball on the Georgia State Championship team of 1950.

She married Morris Steward on June 24, 1951. While he worked at Valdosta Airport as station manager for Southern Airways, she worked at the same location as manager/president of Southeastern Rent-A-Car, a Hertz franchise, for many years. They traveled extensively and frequently.

She had been a member of both Northside Baptist Church and Park Avenue United Methodist Church.

Her parents, Leonard and Ellyce Knowles, her husband, Morris Steward, and her brothers-in-law, Shelly, Murray, and Mona D. Steward preceded her in death.

Survivors include two daughters, a son, and their spouses, Patti and George Strickland (Ray City), Maureen and Ed Gillespie (Valdosta), and Spud and Denise Steward (Dasher); grandchildren, Colleen Strickland (Tallahassee), Emily Strickland (Denver, Colorado), Alison Strickland (Ray City), Erin Gillespie, Alden Gillespie, and Lily Gillespie (all of Valdosta), Chad Bowling and wife Carrie (Dasher), and Shannon Bowling (Miami); brother, Leonard N. “Bubba” Knowles Jr. (Adel); sister-in-law Lucile Steward (Valdosta); and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2006, in the Valdosta chapel of Music Funeral Services with the Rev. Douglas Reddick and Rev. Bob Willis officiating. Burial will follow in Riverview Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2006, from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home. Sympathy may be expressed online at www.musicfuneralservices.com. — Music Funeral Services.



Valdosta

Minnie Keller Roberts Williams

Mrs. Minnie Keller Roberts Williams, 85, of Valdosta and Savannah, passed away at her home in Valdosta on Oct. 7, 2006.

Minnie Williams’ life epitomized the teachings of the Apostle Paul on the meaning of love. She had a marvelous capacity for unconditional affection, kindness, generosity, loyalty and optimism. She was a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother and an excellent homemaker and hostess. She was a pillar of support in hardships and a beacon of radiant light in good and bad times. It was a great blessing to live in that light.

Mrs. Williams was born in Valdosta on Jan. 17, 1921, the daughter of Mary Converse Roberts and John Young Roberts, both with family lineage in Georgia pre-dating the American Revolution. Mrs. Williams grew up in Valdosta and was graduated from Valdosta High School in 1938 and Valdosta State College in 1942.

In 1942, she married George W. Williams, also a Valdostan, with whom she raised four children while living in Cordele and Savannah. Mr. Williams predeceased his wife in 1999 after a distinguished career as an attorney, serving for many years as senior partner of Bouhan, Williams and Levy, LLP of Savannah. Mrs. Williams was also predeceased by sisters, Mary Young Oliver and Edith Converse Roberts of Valdosta and brother, John Taylor Roberts II of Tampa, Fla.

Survivors include: a daughter, Edith Williams Mathews (David) of Lexington, Ky.; three sons, E. Pomeroy Williams (Nita) of Savannah, George W. Williams, Jr. of Los Angeles, Calif., and John Young Williams (Julian) of Atlanta, a sister, Edwina Roberts “Bootsie” Smotherman of Valdosta; seven grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, eight nieces and nephews and numerous cousins.

Mrs. Williams was a member of The National Society of Colonial Dames of America in the State of Georgia, The Garden Club of Savannah, the First Baptist Church of Valdosta and the First Baptist Church of Savannah.

A memorial service will be held at the First Baptist Church of Valdosta, 200 West Central Avenue, Valdosta, Ga., 31601, on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2006, at 1 p. m. The Rev. Mac Weaver will officiate. A graveside service will be held on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2006, at 2 p. m. at Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Baptist Church of Valdosta, the First Baptist Church of Savannah, P. O. Box 9551, Savannah, Ga., 31412, or to Emory University School of Law for the George W. Williams Scholarship Fund, 1301 Clifton Road, Atlanta, Ga., 30322. Carson McLane Funeral Home (229-242-5544) is in charge of arrangements. A visitation will be held for family and friends at the funeral home from 6 – 9 p. m. this evening. Condolences to the family may be conveyed online at mclanefuneralservices.com. — Carson McLane Funeral Home.



Lakeland

Jamie E. Parks

Jamie E. Parks, 70, Lakeland, passed away Saturday morning at South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta following an extended illness.

A native of Macon, Mr. Parks was born Aug. 20, 1936, the son of William and Janie Bartlett Parks. He had made his home in Lakeland for the past 20 years and was a retired printer.

Survivors include his wife, Gladys G. Parks of Lakeland; two sons, Jamie E. Parks Jr. and wife Sarah of Valdosta and Ronald D. Parks and wife Sue of Lakeland; a daughter, Bridget Michelle Parks of Valdosta; two brothers, William J. Parks and wife Catherine of Jacksonville, Fla., and Bill Parks and wife George of Tifton; two sisters, Ann Parks of Sylvester and Betty Lister and husband Wayne of Sylvester; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services for Mr. Parks will be held at 2 p.m. today at Sunnyside Freewill Baptist Church. Interment will follow in Sunnyside Cemetery. — Relihan Funeral Home, Pearson.



Notices

George Edward Simmons

George Edward Simmons of Valdosta passed this life Oct. 6, 2006. Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at the Harrington Funeral Home chapel and the Rev. Timothy Riser will officiate with burial to follow in the Sunset Hill Cemetery. — Harrington Funeral Home



Helen Baltrus

Helen Baltrus, 79, died on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2006, at South Georgia Medical Center. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by the Carson McLane Funeral Home.



Homer Baldree

Homer Baldree, 92, of Adel passed away Sunday, Oct. 8, 2006, at Memorial Hospital of Adel. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced at a later time. — Purvis Funeral Home.